Despite the normalcy of in-office and hybrid jobs, remote job opportunities remain appealing for many professionals. In fact, according to Statista, the majority (71%) of remote employees across the world prefer to work in a fully remote set-up, while only 1% and 2% of participants prefer a fully on-site and on-site-first and hybrid set-up, respectively.
In Buffer’s “2023 State of Remote Work” report, 98% of respondents in different parts of the globe agree (versus 2% who said “no”) that they will choose to recommend a remote work structure to people. As the demand for remote jobs increases, companies offering remote jobs are now being posted on job boards left and right. This can be seen in the United States and Canada where professionals have access to over 30,000 remote job openings for high-paying positions, according to a 2021 report by Ladders.
Let’s shift our focus to the Philippines. What makes remote work so appealing among Filipino professionals? This article aims to educate you on everything related to remote work in the Philippine outsourcing industry.
The Appeal of Remote Work In the Philippines
Although we’re past the post-pandemic era, Filipinos have a strong preference for remote (28%) and hybrid (46%) work structures, according to Inquirer.net, citing Jobstreet’s “Future of Recruitment Report.” This pushes employers to offer more flexible work arrangements to attract highly qualified candidates who have the skills and experience for the role.
As the world’s top seventh remote work hub, there are plenty of reasons why remote work arrangements have a profound impact on Filipinos’ lives. Let’s explore them below.
1. No Need to Brave the Long Traffic
Let’s say your shift starts at 8 am. Every day, you wake up in the wee hours of the morning, groggily dragging yourself out of your house as you yet, again, endure the two- to three-hour commute to your office; you clock out and brave the long commute again. This is the average experience of a Filipino commuter.
The commute to and from the office — in addition to the traffic, poor urban mobility, and jampacked public transportation — leaves Filipinos drained and exhausted to the point of burnout and deteriorating mental well-being. Because of these factors, a staggering 117 hours are wasted on the road. That’s equivalent to five days!
Hence, for many Filipinos, remote work arrangements are heaven-sent. All those hours spent on commuting are now dedicated to quality time with themselves and their loved ones — improving their mental health and work-life balance. Not to mention, Filipino remote workers can squeeze in time for personal errands, take care of kids,
2. There Is A Surge In Productivity Levels and Job Satisfaction
Long, exhausting travel times take a toll on one’s productivity levels. With remote work, Filipino professionals become happier and more productive. According to the Manila Bulletin, citing the “Employee Job Happiness Index 2024,” fully remote Filipino employees are happier with their jobs, scoring 4.92/7 points and 4.82/7 points in terms of work-life balance and job satisfaction, respectively.
This can be attributed to several factors, such as a conducive work-from-home (WFH) environment, increased quality time with loved ones, and reduced stress levels due to the absence of hours-long commutes. Because remote workers are more satisfied with their jobs, companies are less likely to face higher employee turnover rates.
3. Daily Expenses Are Reduced
From transportation fares to daily morning cups of coffee, working in the office brings a lot of expenses. As of this writing, fares for traditional and modern jeepneys respectively cost ₱13 ($0.23 USD) and ₱15 ($0.26 USD), whereas ride-hailing fares can soar to a hundred Pesos depending on factors such as surge charges and distance, in addition to the base fare.
Food expenditure may vary due to the differing cost of food between office cafeterias, fast food chains, and restaurants. While Filipinos can bring lunch to the office, there’s no denying that food and transport expenses add up quickly, totaling hundreds to thousands of Pesos a month.
Remote work eliminates most of these expenses, helping Filipino professionals allot more of their budget to future investments. At the same time, they can enjoy healthy home-cooked meals instead of dining out at a convenience store or fast food chain.
Remote Work In the Philippine Outsourcing Industry: From Pandemic to Present
School closures, massive layoffs, loss of life, and the digital divide. There’s no denying the profound impact the COVID-19 pandemic left on everyone’s lives. On a positive note, though, the health crisis served as an awakening for many in the workforce, with businesses shifting to remote work and recognizing its benefits to employees.
While not every job can be done remotely, the pandemic showed that most jobs can be accomplished from the comfort of one’s home. This section discusses the state of remote work in the Philippine outsourcing industry, from the COVID-19 to the post-pandemic era.
Pandemic Era: The Resiliency of the Philippine Outsourcing Industry
Due to financial losses brought by the COVID-19 crisis, many contracting companies and clients inevitably pulled from business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, placing 37.7% of employees on no-work-no-pay or floating status, which refers to the temporary suspension of work without termination. Because they were not given work, this arrangement left employees — especially breadwinners — without monetary compensation.
Despite the prevalence of unemployment in many sectors, the Philippine BPO industry stood strong amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure social distancing, strict compliance with quarantine measures, and business continuity, many Philippine offshore outsourcing companies implemented remote work arrangements, forcing employees to bring their office computers and peripherals to their homes.
Some offshore outsourcing firms even offered to send equipment or provide housing in apartments, hotels, or office premises so their employees could work properly. According to Philstar.com, citing the IT-Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), 58% of BPO employees worked in company-paid hotels or from their homes, while only 15% of BPO staff were included in the company’s skeletal workforce during Luzon’s enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
Although outsourcing companies implemented automation and cloud technologies, the pandemic illuminated long-recurring challenges in the Philippines. One such challenge is stable internet connectivity, which is rooted in the country’s lackluster IT infrastructure. For some BPO employees, working remotely with poor internet connection was a hurdle, preventing them from completing tasks and maintaining optimal productivity.
Still, the Philippine BPO industry has remained a premier contributor to employment and growth, creating around 120,000 jobs from 2020 to 2021 and generating a revenue increase of 1.4%. In addition, the pandemic spurred the demand for outsourcing healthcare, retail, and financial services, allowing BPO companies in the Philippines to thrive during the crisis.
Post-Pandemic Era: The Great WFH Debate
Despite the feasibility of remote work in the Philippine outsourcing industry, the return-to-office (RTO) mandate sparked an uproar among BPO employees. While the RTO mandate could help reignite pandemic-affected sectors and encourage spending and economic growth, the order came off as “inhumane” as an IT-BPO coalition group cited inadequate transportation and the “volatility” of the crisis for slamming the mandate, reported Philstar.com. According to Bienvenido Laguesma — the secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) — BPO employees must be consulted should companies require them to work on-site.
The pushback is understandable given that the Philippine BPO industry has fully integrated into the remote work set-up. Unsurprisingly, for seven in 10 Filipino employees who want to stay in their current company or apply to another one, it is a deal-breaker if they can’t permanently work hybrid or fully remote, reported Philstar.com The Freeman, citing the 2022–2023 Global Talent Trends study by Mercer.
Initially, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) extended Registered Business Enterprises (RBE) and IT-BPOs’ 70% in-office and 30% WFH arrangements to September 12, 2022. This decision, however, was reversed when the Department of Finance announced the extension of the WFH arrangement “until further notice.”
Preparing for the Future of Remote Work In the Philippine Outsourcing Industry
While BPO firms like KDCI Outsourcing have on-site, hybrid, and remote positions, an outsourcing partner must always be ready for change. To improve employees’ experience in remote work in the Philippine outsourcing industry, every BPO company must invest in automation and AI tools to streamline tedious processes and improve efficiency.
Because remote work poses a risk to data security, BPO companies must not only provide secure data privacy solutions but also educate employees on maintaining good cybersecurity hygiene. These hygiene practices include avoiding phishing scams, updating passwords and security software, and backing up files in the cloud.
Furthermore, with meetings being conducted online, BPO companies must provide videoconferencing tools that promote seamless collaboration between team members and clients. Likewise, remote team management is a vital skill that can’t be overlooked if team leaders and project coordinators want to hone their leadership acumen.
The BPO industry will continue to boom. The latest Philippine outsourcing statistics show that the outsourcing sector is projected to grow by 6% in 2025. With this in mind, BPO companies should look forward to a brighter future for the industry while futureproofing their operations and employees to ensure competitiveness.
Top 5 Tools for A Productive Remote Work Arrangement
There are a plethora of tools for remote work. Below is a short round-up of the best tools and software for this work arrangement. Maybe your company is using or has used most, if not, all of the following at some point!
1. Asana
This project management app is a staple of any offshore team. With this tool, you can create and assign task cards and set deadlines with a click of a button. The ability to create a project ensures that all tasks for every initiative are organized, accessible, and integrated into your daily workflow.
Moreover, Asana’s Rule feature minimizes human input for certain actions. By using its recommended rules or creating your own rules, your outsourcing team can enjoy top-tier efficiency and optimize project management. Trello and ClickUp are good alternatives to Asana.
2. Google Products
Gmail, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and many more are every remote worker’s go-to tools. Google products are available on multiple platforms, making it easy to send emails, edit documents and spreadsheets, and share files on the go with your phone or computer.
3. Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams, or MS Teams, is another popular program for remote employees and Philippine BPOs. It boasts a whole suite of features, including an integrated calendar for checking virtual meeting schedules and responding to meeting invites as well as a One Drive directory for accessing Microsoft files.
What’s more, you can add Dropbox and other apps to streamline workflow and enable seamless engagement with colleagues. While MS Teams involves a slight learning curve for newcomers, its functionality and unique features make it a better alternative to Skype.
4. Slack
Slack is a platform designed to optimize communication between remote employees and clients. Although it has the standard features of messaging and videoconferencing platforms, the tool’s Slack AI is its best feature.
Slack AI is your handy AI-powered partner; it provides summaries of conversations, so employees won’t miss any team updates and announcements. During virtual meetings, Slack AI does the tedious work of note-taking for you. This way, you can listen to the meeting with all ears. Large enterprises and small businesses also use Slack, so consider using this software if you need an all-in-one AI-powered tool.
5. Canva
Canva is a graphic design tool not just for offshore outsourcing creative teams, but also for Filipino remote workers who have little graphic design experience. From its catalog of templates, you can create presentations, infographics, marketing materials, brochures, and other visual content for social media, blog articles, and the like.
Canva also has stock photos and an AI image generator for your design needs. With its intuitive interface and drag-and-drop elements, Canva is a user-friendly tool for anyone in the Philippine BPO industry and beyond.
Collaborate With Our Philippine Remote Team
The pandemic proved one thing: the feasibility of remote work. In the Philippines, the pros outweigh the cons. Filipino remote workers dedicate more time to themselves, spend less money on food and transportation, and enjoy heightened productivity levels.
At KDCI Outsourcing, our remote team of Filipino professionals works round-the-clock to provide you with cost-effective, high-quality services from the comfort of their homes. Whether you prefer communicating on Slack or delegating tasks on Asana, we use the same tools as your business for smooth collaboration.
Need remote staffing solutions for your outsourced business operations? Contact us now for inquiries.
